


Key to my Heart

by MistySkies



Category: Smosh
Genre: Captured, Depression, Fanfiction, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluffy, Ianthony - Freeform, Kidnapped, Kidnapping, M/M, Mute - Freeform, Romance, Self-Harm, Violence, depressed, gonna be loads of fluff, mistyskies, mute character, mute ian hecox
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-04
Updated: 2015-10-11
Packaged: 2018-04-24 17:26:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4928605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistySkies/pseuds/MistySkies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"MISSING: Ian Hecox, one of two members of a YouTube channel called Smosh, has been reported missing. He was last seen heading to a bar nearby his house in Sacramento, California. He has been described as a man with a "bowl" haircut, blue eyes, medium skin, and slight stubble on his jawline. If you or someone you know has seen this man, please contact--"</p><p>He stopped reading right then. He couldn't keep it up any longer. Almost two years of his own absence, and he was falling apart. But now, he was ready. He was ready to go home, because he had already fought the battle with kidnappers and pain. All he had to do now was face the aftermath.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! Welcome to my newest story. This is my first time in the Smosh fandom, so... hope it goes well? This is also on Wattpad. Warning for gayness, violence, cussing, kidnapping, and depression.

XXX

 

It happened again. He got into a fight with Anthony.

 

They had been disputing over what Ian thought was Kalel cheating on Anthony. He honestly didn't mean to upset his best friend, but he was sure she had, in fact, slept with another man. But it didn't matter. It was like he could never compare to Kalel. He had overheard Kalel talking with someone else, perhaps one of her friends. He had been hanging out at the newest scene of their most recent Smosh video, and couldn't help but listen to her speak with someone. Ian distinctly remembered how she said Anthony wasn't... _good_. And how she wished she could just break up with him. He didn't stick around long enough to find out why she wouldn't break up with him. Instead, he fled the moment they spotted him. All he knew then was that he had to confront Anthony about it.

 

But once he tried convincing Anthony that Kalel was cheating on him, he had done nothing but grow angry. Ian was very hurt by how Anthony didn't believe him. What ever happened to that saying, _"Bros over hoes?"_ In the end, Anthony and Kalel won. Ian didn't stand a chance against Kalel's lying.

 

So he was pissed now. The two men bellowed at one another, increasingly losing their patience. Anthony was getting very close to spitting in his face now. Ian, on the other hand, was growing scared. He was hiding his fear behind a mask of anger. He was determined to protect his friend.

 

"THAT'S _IT_!" Anthony finally screamed. Ian blinked, unintentionally stepping back. "I'm _DONE_ with you judging MY GIRLFRIEND!" He was breathing heavily now. "You insult her, you insult _ME_! I thought you were different, Ian! But every time--EVERY TIME--I get a girlfriend, you always try to ruin it."

 

"That is NOT true," Ian intervened. But his interruption went unheard.

 

"You know what?" Anthony finally spat. "I'm done. Don't bother trying to talk to me again." And as Anthony stomped towards the door, Ian felt his mood plummet.

 

Dammit! He had just been trying to help him out!

 

Right before Anthony shut the door, he spoke once more. "Oh, and this was going to be a surprise, but... I'm proposing tomorrow. Don't bother showing up," he snarled, and then slammed the door closed.

 

Ian stared in shock at the place where Anthony had once stood. Propose? He was... getting _married_? That was such a huge step, and it was so hard to comprehend. But... what if Kalel said no? Or even worse... what if she said _yes_? It was then the man realized he was being watched. Dammit, they had fought right in front of the whole crew! The cameramen, their friends, and more had just heard everything. Fuck.

 

Ian groaned, stomping away from the area. He ignored everyone's surprised looks, and exited the room. Once he made it to where his car was parked, he hurriedly climbed in and locked the doors. He felt like crying. So he did. He reversed out of the parking space, and drove to the nearest park. The moment he shifted the car's gear into park, he let out a whimper and sobbed. Tears flowed freely down his cheeks, and his vision was easily obscured by the tears coming out of his eyes. Ian also felt like getting drunk. He didn't want to remember what had just happened.

 

He wiped away the tears, and then began driving straight towards the bar, nearby the old Smosh house. Anthony used to live with him, but then he moved in with Kalel. Fuck. The tears were back.

 

Ian jumped out of his vehicle and scurried into the building. He was determined to forget all about today.

 

XXX

 

Once he was wasted, he found himself stumbling back outside of the bar, trying to locate his car. He mumbled incoherent things to himself, most of them being about Anthony. His feet scuffed against the sidewalk, causing marks on his sneakers. His legs were wobbly and weak, and his eyesight was completely horrendous. He had no idea what was going on around him. And just as he was reaching for his car keys, he felt a strong hand grasp onto his wrist.

 

"Huh?" he asked.

 

"Hey, boys!" the mysterious man called to a group of men behind him. Ian couldn't tell how many there were. Four, five, six? Ten?

 

"Hey, I know this guy!" one of them exclaimed. "This is the YouTube guy... uh, Ian, or some shit."

 

"A YouTuber?" the main one asked with a chuckle. His grip tightened around Ian's wrist.

 

"H-Hey! Paws off!" he grumbled, though his words were slurred dramatically.

 

But they didn't listen. Instead, they grabbed a rag and covered Ian's face with it, causing him to scream. It wasn't a loud scream at all, due to his confusion and his weak state. Plus, it was muffled through the rag. No one heard him, or so he thought. He hadn't even heard the click of a camera go off. And just like that, as they shoved him into their car and drove off, he was gone.

 

XXX

 

The next day, Anthony was surprised that Ian hadn't bothered calling him. Hell, he hadn't even texted him. The moment he checked his phone, he knew something was up. There were texts from nearly everyone. The Smosh crew, his friends, Ian's mom, even his own mom! His other notifications were still buzzing like crazy. Some from Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, and more. What was going on with everyone? Anthony grumbled under his breath, slowly rising from his bed and switching his phone on. What was everyone's problem?

 

_Kalel: 'Hey babe! Went to visit a friend of mine. Be back in a few hours!'_

 

Anthony smiled softly at her text, before replying, _'Kk.'_

 

Once he returned to his other messages, he felt his eyes widen and his jaw drop.

 

_Ian's Mom: 'Anthony, honey, have you seen Ian?'_

_Ian's Mom: 'Please reply!'_

_Ian's Mom: 'I just talked with your mother, she said you two fought'_

 

What the...? Anthony shook his head, shaking away the possibility of Ian missing. There was no way. Ian must have returned home late after their fight... right?

 

 _'Mom: Anthony get your butt on the phone right now! everyone is worried sick!'_ Anthony frowned. What was going on?

 

 _'Anthony: Mom, what's going on?'_ he texted her. He got a reply almost instantly.

 

_'Mom: Ian's not at home, and no one's seen him since you guys fought.'_

 

_'Anthony: What?! Where are you guys?'_

 

The moment he read his mother's newest text, he felt his heart stop. Ian was... missing? How was that even possible? Ian wouldn't be stupid enough to run away... or get lost.... Ian was _fine_. He had to be.


	2. Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been two days since Ian's disappearance, and Anthony gets a call from the police department. He receives stunning news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks guys for all the support! Already one comment, and four kudos? You guys rock!

XXX

Anthony was pacing again. His sneakers scuffed against the carpet of the Smosh house, his hands getting tangled in his hair. It was a habit he used to form when he was feeling stressed. He had stopped it long ago, when he got his “emo” haircut, so he didn’t mess up his hair. Now, however, he didn’t really care.

Mari sat on the couch in the living room, watching him intently. She hated how her friend was so worried. His eyes were wide, close to filling with tears. His feet moved quickly, causing him to walk around in circles with a fast pace. His hair was not well-kept, causing different tuffs of hair to stick out in strange directions. 

Ian had been missing for less than two days, and they were all struggling to cope. Many of them were out searching with the police, and giving all the information they had on him. Anthony had been joining in, but was told to go back home and calm down. He had chosen to go to the Smosh house instead.

Mari was told that Ian must have run off. It was very unlikely he was kidnapped or taken, due to his motives. He most likely ran away, going who knows where. She didn’t want to believe it, though. She knew Ian was strong, and he wouldn’t just… run away. Anthony knew that too. Anthony agreed with her, saying Ian was most likely abducted. There was no way Ian would have just… run away, right?

And that’s when the police called.

Anthony jumped as he heard the familiar ringing of his cellphone. He dug into his pocket, reaching out and quickly answering the call. He recognized the number instantly. It was the police department.

“Hello?” he asked hopefully.

“Anthony Padilla?” a man on the other end asked. “We have just been informed by someone who was at the scene of Ian Hecox’s disappearance. Would you like to come down to the station now?”

Anthony gulped, unsure what to think. Someone saw where Ian vanished? Who? Maybe it was a Smosh fan?

“S-Sure. I’ll be there right away,” he finally answered.

The policeman on the other end murmured an agreement, and ended the call.

Mari waited expectantly for Anthony to explain. She had gotten up off the couch, and was waiting impatiently for Anthony to tell her what the police wanted.

Recognizing her curious look, he quickly explained, “They said someone saw where Ian last was.”

Mari blinked, before nodding urgently. “Let’s go then!” she exclaimed.

They scurried to the front yard, snatching up Mari’s car keys on the way. (Mari had driven the two here since she was more likely to not get in a car wreck. Anthony was a mess enough as it was.) They hurriedly climbed into the car, started the engine and driving forward quickly.

Anthony stared out the window with a hopeful face. Did they find Ian? Did they have more clues now? Was it possible Ian was home again? It had only been two days, but Anthony felt as though it had been decades. He never knew just how important Ian was to him until now.

Mari gripped the steering wheel tightly, knuckles turned white. She stared ahead at the road stonily, praying to God that Ian was all right. She was surprised a cop hadn’t pulled them off, seeing as she must have been going fifteen MPH over the speed limit.

Once they reached the police station, Anthony undid his seatbelt and leaped out the car before it even came to a complete stop. Mari shouted at him to be careful, but nonetheless followed after him. She shifted the gear into park, switched the car off, and jumped out as well.

The moment they were outside of the car, they spotted something odd.

A blue car was parked off to the side, with a familiar license plate and familiar scratches on the outside. Through the windows of the vehicle, Anthony could see certain belongings and handprints. Anthony’s eyes widened comically in realization, before whirling around to face Mari.

“That’s Ian’s car!” he cried happily. “They must have found him!”

Mari sighed in relief, pulling her friend into a tight embrace. Anthony felt like crying tears of relief, but held them back. Once they pulled away from each other, they raced into the building.

The front officer glanced up, easily knowing who the pair were. “Anthony Padilla for the case of Ian Hecox?” he asked knowingly. Anthony nodded excitedly. “Right that way. Officer Kirkland is waiting for you.”

Anthony nodded thankfully, before leading the way to the office where he had gestured to. He knocked quickly on the wooden door, and didn’t even wait for a response or confirmation to enter the room. Instead, he swung the door open and helped Mari inside.

What he saw brought his hopes down immediately.

Ian’s Mom was clutching her head in her hands tightly, shoulders shaking in the movement of sobs. His own mother was resting a comforting hand on her shoulder, hoping to console her. His other friends, or the Smosh crew, were huddled together, as if trying to find relief in one another.

“W-What’s wrong?” Mari asked with a confused expression.

A man with ginger hair, pale skin, and brown eyes sighed sadly, looking up to greet the two.

“Anthony Padilla?” he asked. “And what’s your name?”

“M-Mari Takahashi,” she stuttered. “What’s going on?”

The man, with a nametag that read “Officer Kirkland”, shook his head and got to his feet. He walked around his desk, turning to face the newcomers.

“A young man, whose name is Mark Gallian, was at the scene where Mr. Hecox went missing,” he began explaining. “Apparently he was able to capture the whole thing. He took a picture with his phone, saw Mr. Hecox’s car, and came to inform us the moment he discovered Mr. Hecox was missing.”

Anthony gulped, realization dawning on him. “Y-You mean….” He hesitated. “You guys haven’t found him?”

“No,” Officer Kirkland confirmed. “But, we have much better clues now. Would you like to see the evidence?”

“Yes please,” Mari managed to whisper.

He nodded, turning back to his desk and pulling out a couple folders. He carefully handed the two a large picture of the side of a bar, which Anthony easily recognized. It was a bar he went to with Ian when they were looking for something to do. It was very close to the Smosh house. But that wasn’t what caught his attention.

It seemed the picture had been taken behind a corner. Perhaps his “Mark Gallian” guy had snapped the picture while hiding?

It was Ian alright. He was drunk, that’s for sure. His eyes were heavy, his clothing was messed up, and his hair even more so. There were three men crowding him, the largest one holding a green rag to his face. The other two held onto Ian’s body while he seemed to be passing out.

Anthony gasped loudly, only causing the others to cry harder. He covered his mouth with a shaky hand, already feeling the tears falling down his face. How could this be possible? He knew it! He KNEW Ian wouldn’t be dumb enough to run away! But did that mean he was… kidnapped? That was even worse! That meant it would be harder to locate him!

He hesitantly passed the file to Mari, who immediately started sobbing once she got the concept of the picture.

“I’m sorry,” Officer Kirkland apologized sympathetically. “We’re working on it right now.”

“Wait,” Anthony interrupted. “This… Mark, guy? Why didn’t he report this sooner? And why didn’t he HELP Ian?”

He nodded understandingly. “That’s exactly what we asked. Mr. Gallian told us he was also drunk, which is why the picture isn’t in the best quality. By the time he remembered the picture, Mr. Hecox was already reported missing.”

Anthony sighed frustratingly, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He hadn’t been getting very good sleep recently.

He knew what this all meant. Ian was kidnapped. Fucking KIDNAPPED. And it was all his fault. If he hadn’t had that stupid fight with him, he would have never gone to the bar, gotten drunk, and gotten abducted.

“Fuck,” he whispered. It was his fault. All his fault. If he hadn’t yelled at Ian, he would still be here. He would still be cracking jokes, participating in the Smosh activities, and making them all laugh.

“I’m sorry,” the officer repeated. “We will work as hard as we can to find him. Just don’t stress too much about it.”

Anthony bit back a rude retort. He didn’t want to piss off this guy and get kicked out. Then he wouldn’t get the information about Ian as easily. So he kept his mouth shut and nodded numbly. He was so tempted to just scream at this guy. Tell him how stupid he was to say they shouldn’t worry about Ian. Of course they would worry about him! Fuck this guy.

And without another word, Anthony stormed out of the room, slamming the office door behind him. He stomped out of the building, earning curious looks. He ignored all of them, though. He wasn’t in the mood for all this.

He leaned against the outside wall of the department. Tears fell freely from his dark brown eyes, wetting his face. He felt guilt eating him alive, along with self-hatred and worry.

But surely Ian would be okay, right? Surely he would fight? Ian was a fighter. He wouldn’t give in until he was lying on the ground lifeless. Fuck. The thought of that only caused Anthony to cry harder.

This had to be dream. Yeah, that’s it. It was all just some fucked up dream. Ian was still okay. He was probably just sitting in his room, editing their latest Smosh video. That, or he was reading some of the hilarious comments. He was perfectly fine.

But no matter how many times he told himself that, it didn’t convince him. Ian is gone. Ian is gone. Ian is gone.

XXX

Once he reached his own place, Kalel was out with a couple friends of hers. She might have been vlogging, too. So he decided not to bother her.

He still hadn’t proposed. He never got around to it. It had only been two days, and he was worried sick. He was wearing himself down. He had yet to go down on one knee, give a loving speech, and ask the big question. He was too busy stressing out about the disappearance of his best friend.

When he went to use the bathroom, he froze. He hated the person in the mirror. He hated his gloomy eyes, his ugly face, his fat body, and his own personality. If it wasn’t for him, Ian would still be here.

He spotted something oddly compelling. It was a shaving razor. Memories swarmed into his mind, of how when he was in sixth grade, he had self-harmed. That was just a couple days before he met Ian. He didn’t stop until a couple months afterwards, when Ian almost found out. He decided he would stop, just so Ian didn’t find out and ditch him for being a freak.

And yet, as he stared harder and harder at the cold, steel blade, he felt his willpower diminishing. He gulped, slowly reaching a hand forward to grasp the handle of the shaving razor. He lifted it to his face, examining the harmful object.

‘No!’ he told himself. ‘I can’t. Ian wouldn’t want me to.’

He sighed, shaking his head. “I can’t,” he told himself out loud. “I wouldn’t be able to stop.”

So he set the razor back down onto the bathroom counter. He went to the toilet, did his business, and passed the razor as quickly as he could. He was too scared to look back at it.

He collapsed onto his bed, sighing in content. He cuddled into the soft covers, surrounding himself in a calming warmth. But he couldn’t sleep, no matter how comfortable he was. After all, every time he closed his eyes, all he saw was the man who had changed his life forever. There was no escape.

XXX


	3. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian awakes, only to find himself kidnapped. He now must endure the pain these men cause him. Meanwhile, Anthony is struggling as well.

XXX

When Ian awoke, it wasn’t pleasant. His eyes shot open when ice-cold water was poured onto him, causing him to cry out in surprise. He tried wiping the water from his face, but was stunned to find his hands tied behind his back.

“What the—“

He was cut off by someone laughing. He blinked, glancing up to see who it was. He was in what looked like a prison cell, with only one tiny window behind him. Barely any light filtered through it. The walls and floor were thick and constructed of cement. Where was he? He had a massive headache, not only from getting wasted the night before, but from overthinking seconds after waking up.

“Boys!” the man who must have dumped water on him called. Two more men entered, both looking dangerous and intimidating. Ian couldn’t help but lean back in the chair he was in, nearly petrified with fear. His head was pounding now. “Look who’s awake,” the man chuckled darkly.

“W-Where am I?” Ian stuttered. At first he tried being demanding, but that failed. His voice seemed to have other plans. Oh great, he hated how weak he sounded. 

“Doesn’t matter,” the primary man shrugged. Ian didn’t like the boastful tone in his voice. He hated when people were too arrogant. Plus, he had no clue where he was. He had to get some kind of clue, right?

Gaining his courage, Ian shook his head and murmured urgently, “No, I think it does matter. Where am I?”

The three men bristled, even just from such a small retort of disrespect. Ian gulped, realizing his mistake. He was kidnapped. And these guys were most likely either going to ask for money, or kill him, or both.

“Looks like we’ll have to teach Mr. Ian about manners,” The man on the left cackled. Ian flinched at such a sick joke, followed with a disturbing noise. What were they going to do to him? He had to get out of here. He could take a few punches, but wasn’t willing to waste the rest of his life away.

He decided to scrap up all his confidence, before speaking once more in a stronger voice. “Go ahead,” Ian snapped. “I’m not giving you anything.”

He was telling the truth. Ian wasn’t willing to put the others in danger. He wasn’t giving him money, and he certainly wasn’t going to give them any personal information. He was determined to keep his loved ones safe. Besides, that would be selfish, jeopardizing his friends and family. Right?

“Is that so?” the front man asked mockingly. “We’ll have to see about that.”

Ian’s eyes went wide, realization dawning on him. At first, he was in shock once he found out he was kidnapped. Now, however, the full extent reached his mind. Fuck. He was kidnapped, and he was most likely never going to go outside again. He would never see the outdoors ever again, except from such a miniscule window. He’d never see his family or friends again. He’d never meet another Smosh fan. Oh shit—he’d never see Anthony again. And it was all his fault.

Maybe he had been overreacting? Maybe Kalel HADN’T cheated on Anthony, and he was nothing but an overprotective bitch? He just hoped Anthony didn’t blame himself for any of this. After all, it was HIS fault. No one else’s, just his. Had he not provoked Anthony with false accusations, none of this would have happened.

Dammit.

And before he could react, the first punch came.

XXX

Ian groaned from pain, finding himself awake once more. He felt blood dripping from his nose, and his right eye must have been swollen. It was slightly painful to breathe, and his neck ached from where they had choked him. He made the conclusion that he must have passed out in the middle of their beating.

The brown-haired man slowly blinked, trying to overcome the agonizing pain in his face and ribs. He was still in shock. He hadn’t grasped the whole being kidnapped topic yet. He was still trying to get over the fact it was his fault all this had happened.

His stomach growled, making him realize he was growing hungry. He hadn’t eaten since a couple hours before the fight with Anthony. Surely they would feed him, right? To keep him alive? Oh great, that meant enduring more pain.

Wait—he wasn’t suicidal, was he? No, he was happy with life. He was famous, he had friends and family, he was happy.

‘Why are you using the word ‘was’?’ a snide voice asked.

Ian paled considerably. Was he already going crazy? It must have been less than two days since he had been captured, and he was already going insane. He had a voice in his head, thoughts of death, and LOTS of confusion. What the hell was going on?

He grunted from another surge of pain through his head. His headache was still there, making its presence known. He needed to stop thinking so much. The physical pain, emotional pain, and mental pain was overwhelming. He just needed to calm down.

‘How the fuck can I calm down when I’m kidnapped?!’ he asked himself. He was too scared to talk aloud. What if the kidnappers heard him?

“Look, he’s awake,” a voice rang out.

‘Fuck.’

“Hm, he is,” one of them shrugged. “So, Ian? Learned your place yet?”

Ian groaned, as if he was unable to speak. He almost felt as though something was clogging his throat, with all the tears flooding his eyes. It was getting hard to breathe. No one really knew, but Ian sometimes had panic attacks. He didn’t really admit it to anyone, just because he didn’t want any pit. Now, however, he wished he was still at home, surrounded by the ones he loves. There was no way to go back now, although, he was willing to try just about anything to escape this hell.

But apparently the man wanted an actual answer, because he leaned forward and repeated the question.

He really didn’t want another beating, but he wasn’t giving in that easily. Ian was not willing to submit. He HAD to get out of here. Somehow. So instead, he spat, “Burn in hell.”

The way the two men’s eyes darkened, their bodies tensed, and their fists clenched told him it was such a big fucking mistake. He would regret those three words forever.

XXX

Cold, icy-blue eyes stared intently at the wall across from him, barely blinking. He was unable to comprehend what had just happened. His mind and body was weak, too tired to understand the situation.

So instead, he just stared.

When his eyes DID blink, it was slow and almost painful. Every time his eyelids closed, it burned. He wasn’t sure why, though. Maybe it was all the crying? Either way, he hated it. All of it.

His hands weren’t tied anymore. The men had taken off his binds a while ago. He just didn’t feel like moving. Everything hurt. There was some blood on the cement floor, but not too much to make him sick. Then again, he would’ve been sick anyways. His anxiety was skyrocketing right now.

He curled in on himself, shaky arms clasping around his legs. He was trembling violently, tears drying on his cheeks. He was too scared to move. He felt as though it would not only cause pain, but for the kidnappers to return. As if they could hear the littlest of noises.

Ian tried recalling some happy memories, instead of the most recent disasters. He remembered when he first met Anthony, when fate had brought the two together. He would never be more grateful for that teacher who paired them up. Or God, whoever was in charge of that stuff. He was thankful nonetheless.

The bowl-haired man also remembered all the times they filmed videos. Whether it be a skit, opening mail, or just hanging out while eating, he remembered it. He would give anything to go back to those times. He missed everyone, but Anthony was his top priority.

Ian could easily remember certain bits and pieces from hanging out with Anthony. Whether it be during a Smosh video, or simply hanging out. Like when they first exchanged phone numbers, and when they reacted to their old videos. Like when they put so much effort into their lives as YouTubers. He wasn’t willing to throw that all away.

He was going to find a way home. For Anthony, and everyone else that he cared about.

XXX

Meanwhile, Anthony was called back to the police station that morning. It was the third day of Ian’s disappearance, and he was freaking out. Ian was kidnapped, and it was his fault. And now, he would most likely never see him again. He just hoped this meeting would bring good news.

He had been doing nothing but staring, waiting anxiously. He knew it was ridiculous, but he was praying someone would come running through the door and screaming that they found Ian.

Anthony made sure to avoid television. The news already gave out the information of Ian being abducted. Smosh fans were freaking out. He had no clue what to tell them, though. That everything would be okay? He didn’t know that himself! His social media was going off like crazy, and it was annoying him to no end. He didn’t like the obnoxious buzzing emitting from his phone. It wasn’t the fans who were bothering him, though. Just the noise coming from his phone. Hell, he loved how the fans were reacting. It made him feel better at how many people cared about Ian.

He drove with his mother, who seemed to be silently praying while focusing on the road. Anthony felt slightly uncomfortable with all the sadness and praying, but kept quiet. He knew others were suffering as well, and he would do nothing but make them feel worse if he opened his mouth.

Scenery passed by quickly through the windows, reminding Anthony of all the times he had daydreamed while gazing out the tinted glass. He would be blasting music with a friend, most likely Ian, and jamming out. He would hum along with the tune, while staring out the window and watch everything pass by them.

He could tell his mother was hopeful. They all were. She was driving faster than usual, due to the news. She was trying to reach the department as soon as possible, without getting pulled over by a cop. So far, it was working.

Once they reached the vicinity, Anthony jumped out and shut the door behind him, his mother following his lead. They exchanged glances, as if silently telling each other it would be okay. But Anthony knew otherwise.

They hurried to the same office where Officer Kirkland was. They didn’t bother knocking. The whole trip here they had been completely silent. It wasn’t an awkward or tense silence. Just… a worried, depressing silence. It was relaxing to Anthony, though. He didn’t want people questioning the fight between him and Ian.

“Come on in,” Officer Kirkland greeted. “Have a seat.”

The pair seated themselves nearest to the desk, waiting impatiently for the others to arrive. Anthony was growing anxious. His hands wrung together, while staring at them as if they were the most interesting things in the world.

The man couldn’t help but think over all the possibilities of what Kirkland had to say. Did they have a clue where Ian was? Did that “Mark Gallian” guy return and give them more information? Oh God—what if they found Ian dead? No, surely they would have already told them, right?

He barely noticed when the last person came in. Everyone was there, crowding the office’s small area. It almost made Anthony smile just by seeing how many people were here to get the news on Ian.

“Alright, is that everyone?” Officer Kirkland asked. A few people nodded. “Good. So, I’ve got good news and bad news. Which first?”

Everyone took glimpses of one another. Some said bad news first, and the others said good news first. Anthony was one of the people to say bad news first. He just thought it would be better to have something to look forward to after hearing terrible news.

“Alright, I’ll start with the bad news,” Kirkland sighed. Anthony released a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Dammit, now he hoped the bad news wasn’t actually that bad. “Bad news is… we received a ransom from Mr. Hecox’s kidnappers.”

Anthony felt his whole world stop. He froze, eyes going wide and jaw going slack. A ransom? So, Ian was still alive, but probably not for long. Oh shit. Well, surely it was just money, right? They could all pitch in to win Ian back. But… who knew what scheme they’d pull off? The kidnappers would most likely trick them.

“W-What’d it say?” Anthony stuttered when no one spoke.

Officer Kirkland sighed, shaking his head. “Well, to sum it up, they are demanding two-hundred thousand dollars. They also sent in a picture of Mr. Hecox, who was beaten and bruised.”

‘Oh my God. Two-hundred thousand dollars. Why the fuck would someone do something like this? Kidnap some innocent person, take them away from their friends and family, and demand such a large amount of money? What kind of person does that?’ Anthony thought angrily.

He sighed, hiding his face in his hands. He could already feel the tears coming. He couldn’t bear to imagine Ian the way Kirkland had described the picture. Beaten and bruised? They had done something like that in a couple of their videos, but Anthony always thought nothing like that would happen in real life. He hated the thought of Ian being hurt so badly.

“C-Can we see the picture?” Ian’s mom asked shakily.

Kirkland hesitated, eyes wandering across the whole group. He didn’t seem too fond of showing the picture to them. Anthony was having mixed feelings. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to see the picture or not. But at the same time, he DID want to see it. He wanted a reminder of Ian’s face, and he was worried about how bad the wounds were. 

“Alright,” Kirkland sighed.

He dug into his desk drawer, sorting through folders. Once he reached the file under ‘H’, he found the name Hecox and pulled it out from the drawer. He frowned in thought, opening the folder and digging through it to find that particular image. At last, he found it.

“Here it is, but don’t panic,” he warned. “We are going to find Mr. Hecox, I assure you.”

Anthony hated the pitying tone in his voice. He didn’t want to be told all of these lies. He wanted the truth, no matter how cruel it was.

Kirkland lifted the image up, showing it to the whole gang. It immediately caused people to begin sobbing again.

Anthony was crying silently too. And yet, he couldn’t look away.

It was Ian, curled up in a corner with torn clothing and multiple bruises. Blood dripped from his nose, and down his face and chin. He looked a tiny bit thinner than before he was taken, and Anthony could easily tell there were more bruises hiding beneath his ratty attire. His bowl haircut was still visible, but he seemed to be shielding his face with his hair. He looked scared and hurt.

“Oh my God,” Mari cried.

Anthony covered his face with both hands, hoping to conceal his sadness and anger. Poor Ian was fucking beaten, and it was all his fault. He should have just not freaked out around Ian and simply asked him what was wrong, instead of going into a frenzy. Now Ian was being hurt.

Anthony couldn’t take the tension anymore. He raced out of the building, heading straight for the car he arrived in. He rested against the vehicle, sucking in deep breaths. It was getting hard to breathe. He didn’t really have panic attacks, but it seemed right now that all changed. He had a reason, though.

Once his mother reached the car, she was crying heavily. Anthony sighed, deciding he would drive instead. He took the car keys from her, ignoring her questioning expression, and climbed into the driver’s seat. He heard a faint “Thank you” come from her, but only nodded. He felt angry and guilty, but not at anyone else. Just himself.

XXX

Anthony couldn’t help but wonder how Ian felt. Did his body hurt as much as it appeared in the picture? Was he being emotionally scarred too? He also wondered if they would ever find him.

‘Of course we’ll find him!’ he told himself. But half of him didn’t believe it.

It was a difficult drive home. He dropped himself off, while his mother then took the wheel and drove herself home. During the whole ride, it was a tense silence. The only noises were the sniffles coming from his mother, and the heavy breathing. Anthony was forced to hold back the tears so he could see the road straight. He didn’t feel like getting in a car crash today.

When he managed to get home, he was greeted by Kalel. She smiled at him sadly, reaching a hand out to comfort him. He didn’t bother fighting back. Instead, he entered her arms and sobbed his heart out. Anthony clutched onto her tightly, trying to find comfort in her embrace. And yet, something felt off. Like it wasn’t the same spark he used to feel. It was still there, just not nearly as strong as it previously was. 

He whispered choppy sentences, due to having difficulty breathing and thinking with a hazy mind. Most of these short sentences were just questions that he couldn’t find the answers to. “Why did he have to get kidnapped?” “Who would do such a thing?” “Was Ian right about Kalel?”

He ignored the last one. He should know better. Kalel loved him, and he loved her. They were the perfect match, right? But then why did it feel so wrong to be in her arms?

XXX


	4. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anthony finds out the truth about Kalel, and gives up on life. He no longer has hope for finding Ian. Meanwhile, Ian is trying to cope with the torture he is enduring. And finally, he has an opportunity to escape. But back at home, several weeks have passed. The police have given up, and so has Anthony. But Ian is determined to make it home. He now realizes he is in love with his best friend.

XXX

Nothing. Not a single clue had been found since they discovered the ransom about Ian. Everyone had begun losing energy. They were growing tired and worried. They were having difficulty keeping up with the police when out on a search, and they could barely sleep. Anthony was no exception.

The ransom stated they would have three weeks to gather up the two-hundred grand. So far, they were still trying to figure out whether or not they should send in the money. Surely the kidnappers would simply trick them, right? They DID have the upper hand. 

The police said to wait until the last minute to send in the money. They wanted to be sure they couldn’t find Ian. Nonetheless, the group tried scraping up all the money they had, just in case they didn’t manage to locate Ian. With all the Smosh funds, it wasn’t very difficult. The Smosh fans knew about Ian missing. Several of them had volunteered to donate money, but they didn’t really need it. Instead, they gathered up the money themselves, just to make others’ lives easier.

Anthony was freaking out. He didn’t really show it, though. Instead, he kept it to himself. He wouldn’t speak very much, and when he did it was always about Ian. The others were very concerned about him. They had already lost one friend, and they didn’t feel like losing another. They always tried cheering him up, but nothing seemed to work. He just shook his head at their failed attempts, and walked off.

Tonight, something felt off. Anthony was lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling. He felt like crying, but didn’t want to wake Kalel up. Plus, it seemed he just couldn’t get the tears out. So he simply stared. His dark brown eyes inspected every little detail of the room, trying to find relief in some sort of happy thought or memory.

He wondered what was going on with Ian right now. Was he okay? Was he even still alive? Did Ian forgive him, or was he still pissed? Wait—Ian left to the bar, because of him, right? But what if he was right about Kalel? What if she had cheated? But how would Ian have known?

Anthony was suddenly pulled from his stupor as he heard a grunt come from beside him. He frowned, glancing over to see his girlfriend turning over to him. She slowly peeked her eyes open, surprised to see Anthony just looking at her.

“Hey, babe,” she murmured tiredly. “Are you all right?”

“Did you cheat on me?” Anthony asked in a quiet whisper.

Kalel wasn’t able to hear him. He spoke so lowly, it would have been difficult for anyone to hear, let alone someone who was half-asleep.

“What’d you say?” she asked, yawning loudly.

Anthony inhaled shakily, afraid of the answer. “Kalel,” he sighed. “Did you cheat on me?”

She frowned, eyes reopening to stare at Anthony in a surprised manner. “What?” she asked. “Of course not.”

“But, Ian… he wouldn’t just…,” Anthony paused, before continuing, “He wouldn’t just accuse someone like that.”

Kalel cocked her head in confusion.

“Kalel, be honest,” Anthony murmured. “I want the truth. Ian is missing, and is being beaten. We have to give those kidnappers two-hundred grand, and all I’m asking for is the truth. Did you cheat on me?”

Silence hung in the air for a small moment. Kalel stared into his eyes, not sure how to respond. It was her fault, all her fault. She realized it right then. Ian was kidnapped, and she was the blame for all of it. If only he hadn’t overheard her talking with one of her friends.

“Yes,” she whispered, barely audible. “I-I did. But I swear, it was only once!”

Anthony felt his heart come to a stop, along with his breath catching in his throat. So it was true. All along, Ian was right. And he hadn’t fucking listened.

“Why?” he asked sadly.

“I-I just,” Kalel stuttered. “I never meant for it to go this far, I swear. I was just… trying to… I don’t know!” she cried.

Anthony felt as though he could hear his own heart crack, straight through the middle. It was as if someone just shattered his glass heart effortlessly, leaving him broken and bruised. He inhaled deeply, then breathed out as calmly as he could. He didn’t know how to respond to her.

“Kalel,” he breathed. “I’m moving. We’re over. As soon as morning comes, I’m moving.”

“Anthony, please!” she cried desperately. “I-I didn’t mean….”

“Didn’t mean for what?” he asked angrily. “Didn’t mean to break my heart? Our relationship? Ooh, or maybe you didn’t mean to split me and Ian apart! He could be killed!”

“I-I’m sorry,” she sighed, trying to regulate her breathing. “I’m sorry.”

“It doesn’t matter now,” Anthony muttered. “I’ll be gone by the time you wake up.”

“But I—“

“Goodbye, Kalel,” he snapped, before getting out of bed and heading for the couch. He could really use some sleep right now.

XXX

Anthony kept his word. By the time Kalel managed to fall asleep, and then wake up, he was gone. All his belongings were gone as well. Surprisingly, though, he left the cats with her. It was most likely because he didn’t want any reminders of her.

Anthony knew exactly where he was to move. The Smosh house. He pulled his car up to the driveway early at dawn, and then dragged all his belongings into the building. He spent most of the morning setting up his old room.

He couldn’t help but glance into Ian’s room every now and then. He felt a new wave of emotions crash into him every time he saw, or even walked by, the door to Ian’s room. He hated the silence in the house.

Before he knew it, it was noon. Anthony stared at his redecorated bedroom, sighing tiredly. His eyes were heavy, but he knew if he tried sleeping, it wouldn’t work. His mind was just too active right now. It would be a waste of time trying to fall asleep.

When he entered the bathroom after a couple minutes of inspecting his old room, he was surprised to see a box in there. He must have forgotten to unpack the bathroom items. So he quickly did his business, and then began setting up his things in the bathroom. But as he was fixing it up, he spotted the familiar reflective metal.

A razor.

He sighed loudly, rubbing his eyes weakly. Anthony couldn’t help but feel the temptation pulling at his mind. He knew he shouldn’t do it. It would do nothing but make things worse, right? Ian wouldn’t want him to do this.

‘Ian’s gone,’ he reminded himself.

He hated how blunt his mind was. And yet, he was beginning to believe it. Ian was gone. There was most likely no chance of ever seeing the bowl-haired man again. It was over. Ian was gone.

And so, he gave in. He snatched up the razor, feeling all hope diminish into nothing.

XXX

Ian rested against the corner of his cell, head leaned back against the cold concrete. The bruises on his body ached, despite not really being bothered. The blood dripping from his nose had stopped, and he had managed to wipe off the majority of it with what was left of his shirt. His appearance was nothing compared to his mental state. It was all so screwed up. There was no way he would ever make it home.

He was dying, he just knew it. One of these days, these men were going to beat him to death. He wasn’t sure how long it had been since he had been abducted. Surely it had been a couple weeks, right? Maybe three weeks? He wasn’t positive, but what he did know was that it felt like an eternity.

Ian wondered how everyone at home was doing. Were they sad? Were they looking for him? Or had they already given up? Part of him wished they had, since he knew it was nearly impossible for them to actually locate him. However, the more selfish side of him hoped they hadn’t. He really didn’t want to die here.

When they fed him, it wasn’t much at all. He knew he was already losing lots of weight. The pounds were just slipping off his body, causing a constant gnawing in his stomach. He never knew what it was like to be this hungry. He kind of wished they didn’t feed him at all, so he wouldn’t have to deal with all this torture.

They only fed him every once in a while. And when they did, it was a very small portion of “food.” Did it even qualify as food? It was more like two or three slices of bread and dirty, foul-tasting water. The bread was decent, actually. Or maybe he just thought it was, because he hadn’t had real food in quite a long while.

His thoughts were interrupted by the familiar creaking of his cell door. He jumped, with a startled expression as a shadow cast itself over his form. It was one of his kidnappers, entering the room. Ian gulped nervously, fearing the pain to come.

He recognized the stench of alcohol. Damn, he hated that smell. Sure, he had gotten drunk numerous times back at home, but that was before all of this had happened. Plus, this guy looked as though he could barely even walk. Ian just had to hope he was too weak to do anything.

But his luck was not favorable. Next thing he knew another man ambled into the cell, a devious smirk lining his features. Ian began trembling with fear, wrapping his arms around his legs tightly. It was a stupid method, sure, but it was all he could do to defend himself.

He could tell by the way they stumbled towards him, both looking diabolical and merciless, that this was going to be bad. What more could they possibly do to him? He had already been through it all. Or wait—there was one thing he hadn’t had done to him—oh no.

“N-No,” he stuttered, realization dawning on him.

The two men crept forward like evil demons, eyes narrowed and hands outstretched towards him like claws. He hated the sight. His mind was playing more tricks on him, making it seem like they had crimson-red eyes and midnight-black forms, with no outlines. His eyes caused it to appear as though they were the worst sinners of all. And they might have been, quite possibly.

Ian tried getting to his feet, but found he wasn’t fast enough. Despite both men being drunk, they were still stronger than him. He was weak from the lack of nutrition. His body was shaking beyond anything he had ever felt. He was petrified with fear, eyes darting around and searching for something to save himself with. But he found nothing.

And then, he screamed.

He screamed louder than he had ever screamed in his entire lifetime. It made the men shield their ears feebly, which did nothing to block out the earsplitting sound. Ian felt the tears running down his cheeks, causing his scream to crack midway. Yet, the terrible noise continued escaping him.

The man felt his throat burn, but found it difficult to close his mouth. It was as if his mind wasn’t linked to his body. He couldn’t control what he was doing. It was like his defense mechanism, that he didn’t know how to stop. So he screamed and screamed, until finally…

His voice gave out.

He coughed violently, trying to scream yet again. Not a single sound came out. Not even a whisper. Just complete silence and heavy breathing as he coughed. His vocal cords ached painfully, making him cry harder. What had he just done? Why couldn’t he make any more noise?

It seemed his defense mechanism had failed. If anything, it made him feel much worse. His throat was burning with white-hot pain, and he felt as though he was going to faint from the lightheadedness in his body. He could barely keep his eyes open. A severe dizziness flooded into his brain, causing him to sway. He was wondering if he was going to fall over.

Finally, the now-angry men advanced on him, shoving him to the ground. And Ian could not make a single noise of protest.

XXX

His eyes weren’t alight anymore. They no longer had that lively blaze in them. Instead, they were dull and lifeless, covered in red veins from all the crying. The man stared silently at the wall across from him, looking expressionless. Inside, however, he was dying. He regretted ever fighting with Anthony. He regretted not fighting those kidnappers. He regretted never being able to live his life to the fullest.

And most of all, he regretted not being able to tell Anthony he loved him.

Yes, Ian now realized he was in love with Anthony.

He came to this conclusion a couple hours ago. He found that all his thoughts had been directed to Anthony, instead of anyone else. Sure, he had the occasional thought of his other friends and his family members. But most of all, Anthony.

Ian didn’t want to escape for anyone else. Just Anthony. He didn’t want anyone else to touch him ever again. Just Anthony. He didn’t want anyone else to stare into his eyes and tell him they loved him. Just Anthony—no one else.

He wished he could go back in time. Back to when he had overheard Kalel and her friend. Maybe then he could have stopped himself from making false accusations. Poor Kalel didn’t deserve this. She was probably just talking about how she wanted to break up with Anthony, not that she had actually cheated on him.

‘Fuck my life,’ he thought angrily.

Ian then noticed something peculiar across the cell. He narrowed his eyes, trying to see what the strange object was. He couldn’t seem to figure it out. It was a silver item, one that seemed to reflect whatever light was in the room. Ian felt his heart stop.

A knife.

He nearly screamed in joy, but then remembered: he lost his voice. He couldn’t talk right now, or who knows? He could lose it forever. So instead, he slowly crawled forward, wincing at the pain that surged through him. He crept as quietly as he could, not wanting to draw any attention to himself.

Finally, he reached it. He slowly lifted the knife up by the black handle, inspecting the blade intently. He was right: it was a knife. And he had never been happier.

He returned to his corner, not wanting to raise any suspicions. He twiddled the knife in his hands, not caring if he accidentally cut himself. He was too happy to care. Ian could escape now. He had to. This was his only opportunity, and he could not lose it. This was his chance!

He formed a plan in his mind, while staring down at the knife with a relieved and happy expression. He was to stab the next man to enter his cell, and then make a run for it. He had no idea whether he could escape or not, but surely it was worth a shot? What was the worst they could do to him? It seemed they had already done it all.

‘If I ever escape this hellhole,’ he thought determinedly, ‘Anthony is my top priority. Fuck anyone else. Anthony is why I’m going to escape this place one day.’

XXX

Five weeks had passed. No note about Ian had arrived. The group was freaking out more than ever. They all heard about Anthony breaking up with Kalel, but none of them knew why. They just thought they had grown apart. Anthony didn’t feel like explaining everything, nor did he feel like earning pitying looks.

The police continued searching for Ian, but never found anything. Not a single clue had been discovered since the ransom was sent in. The police were convinced Ian was dead, but the Smosh gang continued urging them to keep looking. Luckily, they listened.

Anthony had become numb. He would barely talk, and spent most of his time inside the Smosh house. He lived there now, so that’s where he always was. He rarely ever went outside.

As for the Smosh channel, Anthony gave it up. The Gang Bang crew still did their videos, but the main channel was down for the time being. Anthony wasn’t up for it. He was busy sulking and trying to deal with life. 

He hadn’t stopped cutting. He was smart, though. He hid it very well, only cutting on his thighs. No one suspected a thing. They knew he was depressed, but not enough to hurt himself. No one knew, which was relieving. Anthony was determined to keep it that way.

Another three weeks passed. The police were trying to convince the gang that Ian was most likely killed. They refused to believe it, though. Anthony, however, did believe it. His hope had gone the moment he picked up that stupid razor. And now, he was addicted to the pain and sadness. It was a horrible feeling.

Two more weeks passed. It had been twelve weeks since Ian had been kidnapped. Anthony checked the computer that day. He felt guilty by all the fans that wanted him to continue Smosh. He just didn’t have the heart to do it, though. Not without Ian.

Another two weeks went by, making it fourteen weeks since Ian was taken from their lives. The police managed to convince everyone that Ian was most likely already murdered. They finally gave up, letting the police continue their jobs on someone else’s case.

One more week. Anthony once again checked all his social media. He was surprised by the encouragement from all his fans. And then he thought: if they could get over Ian’s death, why couldn’t he? And if they weren’t over his death, maybe he could help cheer them up by continuing Smosh?

So he did. He reopened the channel, made a new video, which explained everything that had been going on in his life. He explained how Ian was kidnapped (excluding the fight), the searches, the information, and breaking up with Kalel. He made sure to lie about WHY he split up from Kalel, though. He didn’t feel like ruining her life.

The next week, Anthony came up with his own little skit. He let a couple of his friends join in, since normally Ian would play a character. They were actually pretty decent actors. The fans loved it. They were ecstatic to see Anthony back on his feet.

He still cut, though. The memories of Ian, the pictures of Ian being beaten, and the fight got to him. It drove him crazy sometimes, knowing it was all his fault that Ian had been killed. Maybe it was Kalel’s fault too? But somehow, he managed to convince himself that it was HIS fault, not Kalel’s. Just his.

One day, Anthony came up with an idea. He needed a way to get out all his emotions, so he prayed. He prayed to Ian, telling him everything that was going on in his life. He imagined Ian saying how it was okay, and cracking a few jokes here and there. He always laughed at his imagination.

He prayed to Ian every night. Sometimes he’d do it multiple times a day, instead of just once. It was a great feeling to let it all out. It was better than telling someone alive and out of your imagination. They’d probably just judge him, right?

But little did he know, Ian was out there, very much alive. He was just waiting to come home.


	5. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian notices a missing person poster of himself, and shows the nearest police station himself. Anthony gets a call in the middle of a Gang Bang video, and rushes to the hospital with the crew. They are surprised at what they find. The Ian they found wasn't the same one they lost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone for all the support! This story is now published on, like, four websites o_o… here’s the next chapter. Enjoy!

He stared at his reflection in the water, hating what he saw. A man with overgrown hair, un-kept facial hair, and tattered clothes. He was still his old height, but had definitely thinned out and gained some muscle. His clothes were torn and barely covered the scars on his body, along with his tattoos.

Yes, tattoos.

He didn’t willingly get them, though. Well, except for one. The first one was on his upper neck, concealed with his overgrown hair. It was a monochrome target, one that resembled an archery target. He hated the symbol. It meant he was a target, from his kidnappers. And because of that stupid, permanent marking on his skin, he would always remember it.

The second one was on his inner forearm, where it wasn’t very noticeable. It was hidden a little ways below his armpit. The marking was a gray tombstone. There were scribbles on the tattoo, ones that were barely readable. Ian hated reading it, though. It just reminded him of how all his family and friends saw him. Dead.

The last one was of his own decision. He managed to scrape up some money and head to the nearest tattoo artist, where they embedded the ink on his body. It was a Japanese word, which was unrecognizable to anyone who didn’t know the language. Ian himself didn’t know it, which was the exact reason why he got it. He knew this particular word, though. Those peculiar markings and lines translated into one word: Anthony.

The piece of art was located on his right wrist, tiny but easy to trace every marking. He knew he had to have this tattoo. Why? Because he thought he would never see Anthony again. He still thought that, though. He was too selfless to return home. What if those kidnappers found him? What if the police arrested him for murder?

A tired sigh escape his chapped lips, before he stepped into the creek and began bathing himself. He washed away all the dirt and mud on his clothes and body, but there was no real way to rid himself of the dirty feeling his mind carried. He hated it.

Once Ian finished bathing, he got out and pulled on his now-dry clothes. It was a sad excuse for clothes, really. He was going to need some new ones. He’d have to resort to stealing sometime.

Ian was contemplating heading to town that morning. He glanced up at the sky, which was nearly concealed by all the forest trees. He saw it had to have been before noon. It was still slightly early, which meant people would most likely be inside because of the heat.

So he decided he would enter the town. He’d just have to stay undercover. He crept towards the edge of the forest, his knife hidden away in the pocket of his jeans. He winced at the crunching of leaves beneath him, hoping he could be quiet enough to not draw attention to himself.

At last, he reached the end of the lush forest. He squinted his eyes at the sight, taking in all the features and details of this particular town. It seemed like a nice place. Such a shame the authorities would be wasting their time trying to find a thief.

Ian began ambling forward, sticking to the shadows. Even if he didn’t get recognized, the police would still question him for his choice of clothing. He just had to hope for the best.

Finally, he crept towards a neighborhood, where several nice-looking houses were laid out. He smirked in victory, silently prowling forward and searching for clothes. He was not disappointed, because before he knew it, he saw someone hanging their clothes outside in their backyard.

He waited impatiently for the woman to head inside, before jumping the fence and landing in the yard with ease. He glanced around quickly, making sure no one else was in the backyard. No dogs, no kids, and no adults. He was good to go.

So he snatched up what looked like to be the woman’s husband’s clothes. A pair of cleaned boxers, a dress shirt, and lightly-colored cargo pants. He mentally cheered, rushing forward to unclip the clothes from the line, and then racing out of the area to redress himself.

Ian hid behind the house he just visited, making sure no one could spot him. He then pulled on the fresh set of clothes, and then dumped his old and worn ones aside. He didn’t need them anymore. He was pleased by how the clothes hid the majority of his skin.

He now knew he could stroll into the town without being questioned. Besides, he needed food. The scarred man ambled into the streets, nervously glancing around at the people who noticed him. They seemed to not suspect anything.

But just as he was turning a corner, he spotted something odd.

A police department.

He would have groaned, had it not been for his damaged vocal cords. So instead, he frowned and headed over to the board on the side of the brick building. He was surprised at what he saw.

Ian inspected every single report on crime, and then a specific name caught his eyes.

‘Ian Hecox.’

His eyes widened drastically, before he leaned closer to read the scripted paper.

"MISSING: Ian Hecox, one of two members of a YouTube channel called Smosh, has been reported missing. He was last seen heading to a bar nearby his house in Sacramento, California. He has been described as a man with a "bowl" haircut, blue eyes, medium skin, and slight stubble on his jawline. If you or someone you know has seen this man, please contact—“

He stopped reading, eyes shutting to block out the rest of the words. He didn’t know what to do anymore. If he returned home, his friends and family could be in danger from kidnappers. If he stayed away, he may just cause them more pain. He didn’t want that.

Ian knew what to do. He had already been missing for God knows how long, and had fought the battle. The battle with kidnappers and pain. Now, all he had to do was face the aftermath.

‘Anthony,’ he thought hopefully.

So he tore the paper from the bulletin board and stomped into the police department, eyes searching frantically for the first officer he spotted. It was a woman, who was at the front desk and filling in information on a slip of paper.

‘This is it,’ he thought. ‘I can go home.’

He pushed past all the other people in line, who shouted in anger. He ignored them, though. He had to get this woman’s attention. He had to go home.

“Excuse me, sir!” she piped up, making Ian sigh in relief. She had noticed him. “You can’t cut in line.”

But he didn’t reply. He couldn’t. Instead, he thrust the paper in her face, and pointed between the poster and himself. Her reaction was priceless.

Her eyes widened, her jaw went slack, and she dropped her pen. She glanced over to him curiously, before nodding numbly. “Y-You’re… Ian Hecox?” she stuttered. Ian nodded. “Okay, okay, I’ll contact the nearest hospital and the police department in Sacramento right now,” she assured him.

Ian sighed happily. His battle was over. He didn’t have to fight alone anymore. But now, he had to finish the war. He was going home.

XXX

Anthony was currently seated at the Gang Bang office, laughing with his friends. It was a normal day, with them filming a video and playing some stupid game that would make their viewers laugh. All was well. Anthony had continued Smosh, gotten better with his friends, and even cut down on the self-harm. And still, no one knew he cut himself. He wasn’t willing to tell anyone.

“HA! In your face!” he laughed at Mari. He had just won the two-player game.

But suddenly, a ringing noise emitted from his phone in his pocket. Everyone groaned.

“Dude, we aren’t supposed to leave our ringers on, remember?” his friend, Jovenshire, reminded him.

Anthony rolled his eyes. “Yeah, but—hold on, this is getting annoying,” he muttered, clicking the accept call button.

“Is this Anthony Padilla?” a man on the other end asked.

Anthony furrowed his brows, glancing over at his friends. They seemed to have heard the voice as well.

“Y-Yeah,” he stated slowly. “Why? Who is this?”

“This is Officer Taylor, from the police department of Redding, California,” the man explained. “We’ve just received news on the case of Ian Hecox.”

Everyone went silent, casting their attention to the cell phone. Anthony’s eyes widened, mouth hanging open in shock. Realizing the guy was waiting for a reply, he gulped and stuttered, “Y-Yes, what is it?”

“Mr. Hecox entered our station at about ten A.M. this morning. He’s been transferred to a hospital in Sacramento, and then will be moved down to the Sacramento police department once he has had his checkup.”

Everyone went still in shock. Anthony’s eyes widened even more than before, tears beginning to fill his eyes. Mari was covering her face, while Jovenshire was trying to comfort her. The others were all staring at the phone hopefully, waiting to see if they could see Ian yet.

“I know this must be shocking,” Officer Taylor spoke, “If you would like to see him, he is being checked into the hospital right now.”

“Oh my God,” Mari whispered. “H-He’s alive.”

“Yes,” Anthony cried, “Yes, we’ll be there.”

“Good,” the policeman agreed, “Best of luck.” Then, he hung up.

Anthony stared at his phone, unable to comprehend the situation. Ian was alive. Ian was alive. Ian was alive.

“Let’s go!” Lasercorn cried.

Anthony nodded shakily, getting to his feet and switching off the camera that had been recording for a video. He let Mari drive, since she had insisted and was determined to reach Ian as quickly as possible. They just hoped they didn’t get pulled over.

Anthony heard another ringing go off, and checked his phone to see Ian’s Mom calling him.

“Hello?” he asked.

“Anthony?” he heard a weak voice. “I-I just got a call from the police.”

“I know,” Anthony whispered. “We’re heading to the hospital right now. Do we need to pick you up?”

“No, sweetie,” she sighed. “That’s okay. Your mother is already on her way.”

“Ok,” Anthony murmured. “We’ll meet you guys there.”

He pressed the end call button, and then glanced over at all his companions. The man was tempted to say it was going to be all right, but didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up. Plus, he wasn’t too sure himself.

He found himself staring out the window again, recalling all the times they had driven back and forth from the police station. He just hoped this would be the last time.

Anthony scrambled out of the car the moment they were parked. Everyone followed after him, quickly racing into the hospital. It wasn’t a rare sight for those who worked at the hospital, though. This happened several times a day.

 

“Ian Hecox?” Mari asked the woman at the front desk.

She nodded, clicking away at her computer. “Room 212,” she answered.

Mari nodded thankfully, before shoving her friends towards the elevator.

XXX

A doctor greeted the group the moment they reached the floor Ian’s room was on. Anthony frowned at how a doctor met them before they reached his room. He was unsure if it was because they had bad information, or good information.

“Hello,” the man greeted. He was a tall, pale guy with dirty-blonde hair, gelled back to give a more professional look. “I’m Dr. Calli, but you can call me Joseph. I’ve just finished up the examinations on Ian. Would you like to hear about it?”

“Wait, can’t we just see Ian?” Anthony asked.

“Afraid not,” he sighed. “A professional is in there right now, testing him for any mental or emotional problems. So far, Ian hasn’t said a word.”

The Game Bang crew went silent, exchanging worried glances. Joseph took notice of this. “Once he finishes up with Ian, you may seem him. Is there anyone else coming to visit him?”

“Yeah,” Mari replied, “His parents and a couple other people.”

“Alright,” he murmured. “I suggest waiting for them to arrive, so we can all hear the information.”

Anthony really didn’t want to wait any longer. He was growing anxious. Why wasn’t Ian talking? Was Ian okay? He was still in shock, unable to comprehend the fact his best friend, missing for two years, had been found. Could it be possible Ian was actually completely fine, and the doctors were overreacting?

He knew better than that. The doctors would only tell the truth. Plus, Ian had been kidnapped. There was no way he got out unscathed. The photos they had seen on the ransom told him that.

“Anthony?” he suddenly heard his mother’s voice call to him.

He blinked, snapping out from his daydream. He glanced up, relieved to see his mother, father, and Ian’s parents. He sighed in relief.

“Hey, Mom and Dad,” he greeted quietly.

“Are you doing all right, hon?” she asked worriedly. Anthony just nodded.

He leaned to the left, his gaze bypassing his own parents to see Ian’s Mom and Dad both asking the others what was going on. He just hoped everything was going to be okay.

“Ah, is this everyone?” Joseph asked, returning to the hallway. They all nodded rapidly. “Good. Follow me, I’ll show you what info we have on Ian so far.”

The tall man led them to a room at the end of the hallway, using a key on his lanyard to unlock the door. He ushered everyone into the room, before closing it behind himself and ambling towards a computer behind a counter.

“Alright, we’ve already done X-rays, blood tests, all that stuff,” he explained. “Good news is, most of his injuries have healed very well. Bad news… there’s going to be a lot of scars. At least seventy percent of his body has scar tissue.”

“Oh, God,” Anthony heard Ian’s Mom cry. He sighed sadly, turning to the large projector where Joseph was showing the X-rays.

“Here’s his left wrist, which was once slightly fractured. It’s healed completely, and I’m sure it’s as good as new,” he began explaining, showing a picture of Ian’s left wrist. Anthony frowned at how strange the image looked. He was never able to read X-rays very well.

Next, Joseph showed what looked like a torso X-ray. “Here’s his ribcage, where there was one broken rib, and two cracked ones. The two cracked ones have healed nicely, but the broken one is still in the process of recovering.”

Anthony flinched at the sound of sobbing. He looked to his left, where he saw Ian’s parents, Mari, and a couple other Gang Bang members crying. He sighed frustratingly. He just wanted to see Ian already!

“Alright,” Joseph continued, “That’s all for the bones, but there’s more.” He stood from the computer screen, walking around the counter and towards the group. In his hand was a folder, full of files.

“These are all the severe wounds or scars we took note of. We don’t show them to many people, which is why I won’t show them to you. However, I can tell you what they are,” the skinny male murmured. “One was a deep cut on his right hip, but seems to have healed on its own. The next one was on his right shoulder blade, but we manage to stitch that one up. As for all the other outer wounds, we’ve used antibacterial products to help fight off any risks of infection.”

Anthony stared at the man quizzically. Was Ian really that badly hurt? What the fuck did those kidnappers do to him?! And it was all his fault….

“Alright, we’re almost done. One more speech of information you should all know,” Joseph exclaimed, clutching the folder full of files to under his arm. “Ian… is going to need a lot of help. No one just walks away after such a traumatic experience like this,” he sighed sympathetically. “At least seventy percent scar tissue covers his body, along with multiple fractures, deep cuts, and even worse wounds in his mind. I need you all to accept one thing, alright?”

Everyone nodded sadly.

“The Ian they found,” he paused, eyes travelling across every person in the room. “Will not be the same Ian you lost. Don’t expect anything too big, ok?”

Anthony inhaled shakily, trying to regulate his breathing and his pounding heart. “We’ve got it,” he murmured. “Can we see him now?”

Joseph nodded. “Yes. Let me check in with the psychiatrist first, though,” he murmured, reopening the entrance to the screening room and letting everyone out. Everyone was hurrying to follow him, anxious to see Ian again.

Ian’s parents had stopped crying, and we simply breathing heavily. They were silently worrying now, praying to God that Ian was going to be all right. He was alive, that’s for sure. But was he still the same Ian they had come to know and love?

Joseph halted at room 212, gesturing for the group to stop. He crept into the room, making sure to close the door completely so that none of them could peek in. 

And then, Joseph exited the room, with a burly man following after him. They could finally see Ian.

“C-Can we see him now?” Mari asked quietly.

“Yes,” Joseph nodded. “But remember what I said. No sudden moves, and no touching unless he touches you first.”

They nodded, before slowly opening the door.

And then, they saw him.

At least, they thought it was him. The guy had his back facing them. It was a man about the same height as Ian, but with a much more muscular form. His back was straight and his form was menacing looking, while his hands were clenched by his sides tightly. Anthony could just barely see the stubble on the man’s face, since he was facing the window.

“Ian?” Ian’s mother whispered.

The man tensed, body going rigid. Anthony took notice of how easy it was for this man to go stiff. He was scared.

“I-Ian?” Mari stuttered. “I-It’s us… the Game Bang crew.”

“Yeah,” Jovenshire laughed. “It’s us.”

Nothing. Not a single movement.

Until finally, Anthony spoke up.

“Ian?” he whispered quietly. He was surprised Ian had even heard him.

Anthony’s voice got the man’s attention very easily. The strong man whirled around, eyes searching for one person in particular. And there he was.

Anthony.

He was still taller than Ian, with the same muscular arms and toned torso. Except, his hair had changed. It was no longer the “emo flap” hairstyle. Instead, it was short, lacking any bangs. It was the same soft, fluffy texture, with the same shade of brown. However, it had a slight slope that went backwards to the left, so it seemed as though he had used gel. Ian could not make out any signs of hair gel, though. How strange.

Ian paid no mind to anyone else. Just Anthony.

The group, meanwhile, were shocked. There he was. After two years of his disappearance, and he was alive. He was so different, though. His hair had just recently been cut, most likely because it was overgrown. It was still slightly longer than his old haircut, though. He still had his bowl haircut bangs, but the tips of his hair now ended at the edge of his lower neck. The stubble on his face was the same, except it seemed his face had thinned out because of lack of food.

Ian stayed completely still, ears trained intently on Anthony. He wasn’t willing to look at anyone else. Everyone seemed to take notice of this, especially Anthony.

“Ian?” Anthony asked. “Is that you?”

A nod was his only answer. Again, Ian was completely silent. Joseph had said that Ian hadn’t said a single word, but now they were worrying. Surely he would have spoken by now, right?

Ian slowly stepped forward, towards his old best friend. He took one more step, and then another. Until finally, he was standing a foot away from Anthony. And suddenly, his arms shot out and wrapped around Anthony, enveloping him in a tight embrace.

Anthony had never felt so relieved in his life. Ian was alive. He was here, hugging him right now, after being kidnapped for two years. He was home.

Anthony felt tears build up in his eyes, while he hugged Ian back. He felt as though he could never let go of him.

“God, Ian,” he whispered. “We’ve all missed you so much.”

And once again, silence. Ian didn’t even breathe louder, didn’t shed a single tear, or say anything in response. Just silence.

When they pulled away, Anthony examined Ian’s face. His blue eyes were slightly duller than before, but they were still the best shade of blue he’d ever seen in his life.

“Ian?” Ian’s Mom piped up.

Ian turned his head towards her, face expressionless. She was close to crying, waiting anxiously for her son to give her any signs of acknowledgement. Finally, he did. He stepped towards her as well, giving her a hug. It wasn’t nearly as touching as his hug with Anthony, but he figured he should embrace the woman who raised him. She deserved it.

Next, he hugged his father, and then all the Gang Bang members. They were all crying tears of happiness. Ian was close to weeping too, but didn’t want to show any weaknesses. He couldn’t afford it.

His eyes locked onto Anthony, who was already staring at him. His lips curled up lightly, forming a miniscule smile. Anthony cracked one as well, before hugging his lost friend again.


End file.
